The Toronto Maple Leafs are headed into its sixth straight season with the Core 5 still intact. But during this summer’s training camp, fans may have seen a glimpse of the future.
Parts of old management are gone, and Leafs fans were probably hoping new General Manager Brad Treliving would tweak the roster to bolster that core.
Treliving dished out contracts to several notable free agents including Max Domi, John Klingberg, and Tyler Bertuzzi. But more importantly, the Leafs have what seems its next generation filling in spots: Nicholas Robertson, Matthew Knies, Easton Cowan, Fraser Minten, and Topi Niemelä, among others.
Defenseman Morgan Rielly said roles often evolve during training camp, especially involving the youth, and figuring it out is a process.
“We wanna go out there and be a team that competes hard every night, plays together and as training camp goes on, will kind of discover what that looks like,” Rielly said.
Knies and Cowan are two of the more notable prospects that have stood out through training camp and the first three preseason games thus far.
Auston Matthews with Tyler Bertuzzi at the Maple Leafs' first practice group going through drills at the Ford Performance Centre on Sept. 21. Photo credit: Nicholas Prencipe
Knies has played well enough to earn a spot on the second line in the top six with John Tavares, who is entering his fifth season as the captain of the Maple Leafs.
“Yeah, it’s an honour,” Knies said. “Obviously he’s a tremendous player, so it’s a big opportunity for me and I just have to take advantage of it and then work my best to stay in that position.”
The Minnesota Golden Gophers standout is looking to be a breakout rookie for the Maple Leafs and be a key part of their success this season. He showed he’s up to the rigours of the NHL in last season’s playoffs.
Even though Cowan has been a standout during preseason, racking up one goal and two assists in two games, he will likely rejoin the London Knights of the OHL for more development.
Sheldon Keefe, the coach of the Maple Leafs, has been very impressed with Cowan so far as a future piece after his first appearance against the Ottawa Senators on Sept. 25.
“More of what he showed early in camp, but thought he put an exclamation mark on it tonight, he was outstanding,” Keefe said after the game
Robertson has not had the brightest start to his NHL career. He battled through two separate season-ending injuries that have sidetracked his development.
Nevertheless he’s impressed so far during training camp and was slotted in the top six two appearances in the preseason against the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres.
“I think he’s been good, both games, the puck hasn’t fallen for him, but I think he’s been all over it, he’s had some great scoring chances, and he looks real fast and confident with the puck,” Keefe said.
These new and young pieces will hopefully make a difference this season, but success still relies on the production by the Core 5. It all starts Oct. 11 in a home game against the Montreal Canadiens.